Collapsible tube closure



Feb. 14, 1933. R. N. ELLIS COLLAPSIBLE TUBE CLOSURE Filed Feb. 8. 1932Patented Feb. 14, 1933 RALPH N.A ELLIS, F DES MOINES, IOWA COLLAPSIBLETUBE CLOSURE Application led February 8, 1932. Serial No. 591,555.

The object of my invention is to provide a collapsible tube closurewhich is simple, durable and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

A further object is to provide a closure cap for a collapsible tubewhich cannot be entirely detached from the tube and lost.

Still a further object is to provide a closure cap having a pinextending into the collapsible tube and provided with a valve plug sothat when the closure cap is detached and then pulled outwardly a chargeof the plastic material within the tube will be discharged andsuccessive charges will be of substantially the same size.

A further object is to provide a valve plug which is slidable relativeto the pin and which is attached to the closure cap so as to preventexpelling any of the plastic substance while the closure cap is beingunscrewed.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in theconstruction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of mydevice, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinaftermore fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a collapsible tube showing my closurecap connected therewith.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view similar to Figure 2, showing the parts in adifferent position with the detachment of the closure cap justcompleted.

Figure 4 is a side elevation showing the closure cap pulled outwardlyfor discharging a charge of plastic material; and

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3, showingr the parts in theposition of Figure 4 and the charge of plastic material removed from thecollapsible tube.

On the accompanying drawing I have used the reference numeral 1() toindicate the container portion of the collapsible tube. The container 10has a head 12 terminating 1n a neck V14. The neck 14 has a shoulder 16be- 50 yond which a threaded portion 18 extends.

A `valve seat 20 is formed within the tube 10 and a passageway 22extends from the valve seat 20 and leads through the threaded portion18. The passageway 22 is located between the shoulder 16 and a closedend 24 55 of the neck 14.

The closed end 24 is provided with a perforation 26 through which a pin28 extends. The pin 28 is connected with a closure cap 30. The pin 28may be of metal and provided 60 with an enlarged head 32. The closurecap 30 may be of Bakelite or other composition moulded around the head32. The tube 10 and neck 14 are usually made of die cast metal. i

The closure cap 30 is internally threaded as indicated at 34 forcoaction with the threaded portion 18 of the neck 14. The lower end 36of the closure cap 30 is adapted to coact with the shoulder 16 when theclo' 70 sure cap is in closed position as shown in Figure 2.

The inner end of the pin 28 is shouldered as indicated at 38 and reducedas indicated` at 40. The reduced portion 40 terminates in 75' a head 42.A valve plug 44 is slidable on the reduced portion 40 between theshoulder 38 and the head 42; The valve plug 44 is adapted for seatingagainst the valve seat 2O.V

Practical' operation l In the operation of my closure cap forcollapsible tubes the parts originally assume the position shown inFigure 2 with the closure cap in closed position.

When it is desired to remove a charge of the plastic material 46 fromthe tube 10,'the closure cap 30 isv first rotated for detachment asshown in Figure 3.

The reduced portion 40 of the pin 28 is 90 of substantially the samelength as the travel of the closure cap 30 from the position of Figure 2to the position of Figure 3. This prevents any upward movement of thevalve plug 44 while detaching the closure cap and consequentlyeliminates any expulsion of the plastic material 46 from the dischargepassageway 22 which would occur if the valve plug 44 moved upwardly withthe pin 28 during the closure cap detachment operation.

plastic material, suchy as toothpaste orithe like. "f

the brush 48 as shownin'Figure-i lfjmoreV plastic material isrequired,thewpinQS c arr beV pushed inwardly and then"`pulledi"oiit' t 1 wardlyagain. Y 5

V:- l `Some,changes may-,be made'zintherconstruction and arrangementjofthe parts 'of'l The 'charge' 46a may now be wiped When it is desiredto`close the tube, thecap I 30fis pushed inwardly fand inward Y movementofV the @valve plug-,A 441': will Y tendfto draw the., jplastic.materialinwardlyfrom the discharge passageway 22 so; as'tdprevent' any squeezing` of material from 4between `the threads 3 4and 18 and across the shouldery 16 whenrthe cap! is finally screwed to.fully closedffposition.

L )Thek blost-l motion-connection provided by sliding of the -valve plugi441:` on theireduced pOltiOIl 40 Tofl the pin" 28 is;V quite-importantto prevent squeezing; of the", plasticl material.

vinto the ythreads tof thernecky and@ closure cap I duringthe detachmentoperation. `The valve 1 plug 44, when4 vin' the :position ofFigure :5,quite effectively closesthe collapsible. tubeagainst furtherdischarging-i, of its` contents l ifjit iSidesired:to-leave'thetube-openwhile therserl v`is Vshaving himself. The particular-QV arrangement 'rof parts also effectivelyl prevents losing v'of theclos'urel cap fromthe'tube.

my, device without -dep arting "from :the real spiritand-purpose of myinvention, and it' 1s my intention'to cover byimy claims, any" modifiedlforms ofstructure oruse; vofy nie-4 combination `with' `a"containerportion and chanical equivalents, which fmayfbejr'easonf 1L In acollapsible tube construction, jithe a neck thereon,s a id neckhaving aniliterior valvef seat, arr` exterior shoulder, a threaded O portionbeyond said'shoulder, the end 'of saidi threaded portionbeingfclosedfeXcept forja; perforation therein" and saidv neck having adischarge passageway from valve'fseat laterally `through the threadsofsaid threaded Vportion with its outer {endilocatedbetweensaidshoulderK andiv'thefclosed(end of --said a" closure V 'za'pinterior'fly;threaded to fit thef threaded portion v Said neck and'against said shoulder, a pin connected ywith saidy clo s ure-cap,.project-ing 'therefrom and extendingfthrough the perforation ofqsaidclosed. end V-ofsaidf gneclnthe :inner end of said pin being"shoulderedand reduced and terminat-v ing in an enlarged-headand a valveplug slidable on said pin between said shoulder.

and said head.

, 2. ,In a collapsible tubeconstruction, the l combination with' acontainer portion and a neck thereon, said neck having an interiorvvvalve seat,an exterior shoulder, a shank por- .tion-beyond said?shoulder, the end of sa1d I shankgportion vbeing closed exceptfor .aperforationtherein and saidneck having adischarge passageway from saidvalve seat laterally througlifsaidshank kportion and terminating betweensaid shoulder and said ficlose'ldfehdofsaid neck, ofa closure for said4neckc o'niprisingaclosure cap to it over said vshankportion of saidneck andagainst said shouldeniapin connected with saidlcap, pro-Vectingtherefrom and extending through the perforation; of said clos'edend :,of; said neck,

the inner end'of said pinV being shouldered?,

and. reduced and terminating in an enlarged headandiavalve/plugslidablefonsaid v between said.,shoulderand said head; n

v 3.1 In fa 'collapsible tube constru'ctiomLthe A combination' with acontainer portion: and a neck; thereon, `#said neck havingv anV interiorvalveseat-- an exteriorgshoulder, athreaded Y portion beyond/saidshoulder, the end ofi a discharge passageway from saidivalve seatlaterallyjthroughl the threadsofsai dthre'aded ofL-fa closure'f- Y forsaid;k `neck comprising a closure cap interiorlygthreaded; to;-tit lthethreaded: portion .of said neck and against l.said shoulder, a pinVconnected l with said? closurejcap, projecting;k therefrom: `and eX-ftending through the perforation of saidclosed end `of said neck andayalve plug-'on the inf saidthreadedportion-beingclosed, excel'otfor-v vportioniwith'Y its outer. end locatedv betweensaidshoulderand thelclosedendofsaidvneck,l

nerend of; said'pinfor coactionwith said v 4. vIn a collapsibleitubeconstruction, the.: i

necl'rfthereon, said neck :having: an interior valve seat andbeingexteriorly threaded, the

end of said@ neck being closed, `except fora perforation therein "and fsaid neck having a discharge fpassagewayrfrom said valve l)seatVlaterally through thethreads ofsaid neck,fof Ya closure for-.said neckcomprising afv closure* cap` interiorlygthreaded` to coact with theythreaded portion of said neck; a pin connected with said '3losureicapprojecting there? from and extendingfithro'ugh the perforation ofthe'closedendof said'neck, the'innerfend v offsaidfp'in being shoulderedand reduced and terminating in an enlargedhead and a? valve plugsli'dable on saidf pingbetweensaidfshoulit" `der andsaidheadfz. 1'

:5; Iniga; collapsible .tube combination-with a 'container portion andaneck r-thereon,= said` neckt having ff an interior construction,tfhe'fl combination; withffa cont-ainerportion and a valve seat andbeing eXteriorly threaded, the n end-lof` -said neck. being closed,except. for a` soA perforation therein and said neck having a dischargepassageway from said valve seat laterally through the threads of saidneck, of a closure for said neck comprising a closure cap interiorlythreaded to coact with the threaded portion of said neck, a pinconnected with said closure cap, projecting therefroni and extendingthrough the perforation of the closed end of said neck, and a valve plugon the inner end of said pin for coaction with said valve seat.

6. For use with a collapsible tube neck having a Closed end and ashoulder, said closed end having a perforation, a threaded l5 portionbeyond said shoulder and a valve seat within said neck and said neckhaving a. passageway from said valve seat and laterally through thethreads thereof, a threaded closure cap adapted to seat against saidshoulder, a pin rigid therewith and projecting through said perforationand a valve plug on the inner end of said pin for coaction with saidvalve seat.

7. For use with a collapsible tube neck having a. closed end and ashoulder, said closed end having a perforation, a threaded portionbeyond said shoulder and a valve seat within said neck and said neckhaving a passageway from said valve seat and laterally through 3o thethreads thereof, a threaded closure cap adapted to seat against saidshoulder, a pin rigid therewith and projecting through said perforation,a valve plug on the inner end of said pin for coaction with said valveseat, said valve plug having limited sliding movenient relative to saidpin substantially the distance of the movement of said closure cap fromposition against said shoulder to detached position.

Des Moines, Iowa, November 4, 1931.

RALPH N. ELLIS.

